


Stay Away From Gavin Reed

by ConkusConcussion



Series: Gavin and Richard Are (Sometimes) Assholes in Love [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Slash, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 03:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15597321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConkusConcussion/pseuds/ConkusConcussion
Summary: Growing up, Richard had always known Gavin as the school bully. As he grows up, the two of them develop a mutual respect for one another, and he realizes that there might be more to Gavin Reed than he originally thought.





	Stay Away From Gavin Reed

**Author's Note:**

> Ages: Connor is 2 years older than Richard, while Gavin is 3 years older than Richard.
> 
> Warning: Degrading slang words for LGBT are used in the first scene so beware.

**Richard: Third Grade**

**Connor: Fourth Grade**

**Gavin: Fifth Grade**

 

Seeing his brother, Connor, cry was a fairly common occurrence for Richard. It wasn’t that his brother was unhappy, quite the opposite in fact; he was just emotional. Connor would cry tears of joy when their dad took them on a spontaneous trip to the park, he would cry angry tears when a dog died in a movie, and he would practically start bawling if he saw someone else get hurt.

 

That being said, when he saw Connor crying silently at the playground’s old picnic table, two older kids looming over him, he knew something was wrong. His brother cried a lot, but he was never  _ quiet _ about it. Suddenly overcome by childish anger, Richard stormed over to where the sad scene was unfolding. The picnic table was in the corner of the playground, shaded by three large oak trees. The sidewalk leading up to it wound behind the swingsets and tetherball poles, all the way up to the elementary school’s back doors. Since the fifth and fourth grade classes were also having recess, the teachers (Mr. Hartman and Ms. Stern, respectively), were sitting on a bench near the door, next to Richard’s own teacher, Mrs. Jones. One night at dinner, Connor had told their dad about how Mrs. Stern made him feel bad for missing a question on a test. He had been so devastated about upsetting her that he had stayed up all night studying, which was near impossible for a mere fourth grader. To Richard, that’s what Connor always did: the impossible.

 

As Richard neared the picnic table, he finally got a good look at the scene before him. His brother was hunched over in a way that made him look small beneath his pink hoodie. One of his hands was curled into a fist in his lap while the other played with the drawstring of his hood. The school counselor told their dad that it was a nervous tick, an ‘idio’-something-or-other. It only happened when Connor got scared or really,  _ really _ nervous.

 

It was obvious that the two boys were older than both Richard and Connor. Fifth-graders. One of themi was wearing a too-big t-shirt and semi-baggy jeans. His dark hair was a mess, and he looked like the kind of kid their dad always told them to avoid. The boy next to him didn’t actually looked that threatening. His hunter green shirt complimented his dark skin tone well, and his clean-cut hair gave him a nice appearance. If it weren’t for his crossed arms and smug expression, he might’ve actually looked approachable.

 

Once he got close enough to hear their conversation, his blood boiled. “-and another thing, only faggots wear pink.” The scary looking one sneered.

 

Richard marched up to them. “How dare you call my brother a bug, you jerkface!”

 

He wasn’t sure what he expected, but it definitely was laughter. His brother’s shoulder shook in a quiet sob. “Just-”  _ Sniffle. _ “Just go play with your friends, Ricky.”

 

“This is fucking  _ hilarious _ .” Green-shirted boy snorted. Richard was still a ball of fury, his expression angry, but confused.

 

“Why don’t you tell him,  _ fag _ . Tell him how you’re a disgusting piece of shit.” The scary boy was yelling at this point, but nobody seemed to care. The teachers were too far away to hear, and the other students either didn’t care or couldn’t hear over the sound of kids laughing and playing about.

 

“Don’t talk to my brother that way!” Richard shouted taking a step forward. He was only 8, and the offending boys had to be at least 11. The shorter, scary one had to be at least 9 inches taller than him, and both of the boys looked stronger. Seeing Richard make a move, Connor hastily stood up, wiping his tears away onto his sleeve. Maybe he wouldn’t stand up for himself, but he sure as hell would for his little brother. Richard, despite only being a third-grader, he knew that they wouldn’t win a fight with the two, older boys. So, he said the scariest thing he could think of. “My dad is a cop! If he hears about this you guys will go _ straight to juvie _ .”

 

The boys’ grins fell from their faces, and for a moment, they actually looked scared.

 

“He can’t do that.” The scary one stated lamely, uncertain. To be honest, Richard didn’t even know what juvie  _ was _ , but it sounded scary.

 

“Oh yeah he can!” Richard crossed his arms and puffed out his chest.

 

The boys exchange glances before the green-shirted one gives a heavy, irritated sigh. “We were just joking anyway.” They shoulder check Connor as they walk away, not bothering to apologise in the least.

 

The two brothers watched them walk away. As soon as they were out of earshot, Richard found himself being pulled into a tight hug by his brother. Surprising, but not unwelcome, Richard hugged his brother back with all his might..

 

Connor ended the hug to hold his brother at arm’s length, gazing fiercely at him. “Never,  _ ever _ talk to Gavin Reed again, do you hear me? I don’t care what he’s doing, you stay away.”

  
  
  


**Richard: Seventh Grade**

**Connor: Eighth Grade**

**Gavin: Ninth Grade/ Freshman**

 

“Welcome, students, to Seventh Grade Orientation!” A round, cheery woman said in an (obviously fake) flurry of excitement. She stood at the front of the cafeteria, students and parents sitting at the tables, watching her expectantly. The bright, overhead lights cast a bright, reflecting sheen on the scene, filling Richard with excitement. Next to him, his brother was running a coin through his fingers, a new outlet for his nerves. Their father, Hank, sat on the other side of Connor, his face set in its neutral state that still somehow seemed irritated. Richard knew he was proud of him, though. Even if his face didn’t show it. “Everyone should have had their schedules mailed to them, along with a student ID card. Here in a minute we will sort everyone into groups, where you’ll then be matched up to an eighth or ninth grader who will show you around our beautiful Junior High School while the parents get to meet some of the excellent staff we employ here.”

 

“Now students, I’d like you to check the corner of your student ID. If your ID has the letter A, I want you to follow Mr. Douglas over there.” She gestured to a tall, lanky man who stood on the left side of the cafeteria entrance. At the mention of his name, he hastily waved in an awkward fashion. Hank snorted from on the other side of Connor, but he hastily tried to cover it up with a cough.

 

“Letter B, You’ll follow me.” If anything, her grin widened at her accidental rhyme. Richard was thankful his card had said  _ C _ instead. He felt bad for his brother, who’s card possessed a glaring  _ B _ . “My name is Mrs. Duval.”

 

“And finally, letter  _ C _ students will go with Mr. Jackson.” She gestured to a younger teacher who was standing on the opposite side of the cafeteria entrance as Mr. Douglas. His dark hair was cut so close to his scalp that he could’ve been mistaken for bald in low lighting. He looked like he was just out of college, and Richard was willing to bet that Hank would have something to say about that once they got home. “Parents, if you’ll stay in here, Principal Murray will have further instructions. Now, let’s get  _ orientated _ !”

 

The room burst with activity as students started making their way towards their groups, saying goodbye to their parents and mingling with their friends along the way. Richard and his Connor stood up at the same time. Hank mumbled something fondly under his breath along the lines of  _ creepy kid _ . Sometimes, the two of them really were more like twins than brothers.

 

Turning to Connor, he was met with a comforting smile. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll have fun.”

 

“That’s optimistic.” Hank snorted at his elder son’s comment. “Just don’t punch anyone in the face, got it?”

 

“That was one time.” Richard mumbled darkly as he turned and headed towards Mr. Jackson, leaving his father and brother laughing behind him.

 

“See ya!”

 

Richard didn’t have many friends in his grade, so he walked without stopping towards Mr. Jackson, where a group was already forming. He recognised a few kids in the group. Obviously he knew the kids in his grade, at least enough to remember their names, but there were also a few faces among the group from upper grades that he knew. Traci B. and Tracy E. stood off to the side, chatting idly with each other. They were friends of Connor’s that had eventually become friends of Richard. Traci B told the story of how they met Connor almost every time that someone even hinted at the occurrence.

 

One day last year, before they had come out, Connor caught them kissing in an empty classroom. Richard wasn’t really sure why his brother even went into the classroom, and he’d never thought to ask either. Regardless, he agreed to keep their secret, and even cover for them if they needed it. Richard probably wouldn’t have been as empathetic as his brother had been, but he was glad for his brother’s kindness now that he knew the two girls better.

 

Off to the side, Richard noticed a few ninth graders huddled up, clearly talking about the Tracis, judging from their side glances. Immediately, he recognised one of them that seemed to be staring at him: Gavin Reed. Richard had seen him a few times over the course of the years, and had heard Connor’s stories of him. Even a grade below him, Connor heard the stories of the ‘Reed boy’ and eagerly shared them with Richard.

 

“Alright, when you hear your name, I want you to say here, Okay?” Much to Richard’s surprise, the students actually quieted down… some.

 

“Abel, Maria?”

 

“Here!”

 

“Frederiksen, Jake?”

 

“Here!”

 

“Fantastic, you two are partners.” Mr. Jackson scribbled something down on his clipboard and adjusted his glasses before addressing the group once more. “Eighth and Ninth graders, once you get your orientee, you can start showing them around. We’ll announce on the intercom when it is time to meet back here. Remember, there are teachers everywhere, so don’t try any funny business. Got it?”

 

There was a mutter of agreements before Mr. Jackson resumed his task.

 

“Anderson, Richard?”

 

“Present.” Richard raised his hand for extra measure, he wanted to make sure that teacher saw him. 

 

“Reed, Gavin?” A few uneasy murmurs flitted through the students. Gavin’s dislike of Richard’s older brother wasn’t exactly a secret.

 

“Here.” Gavin announced flatly, already making his way to where Richard was.

 

“Good, you’re partners. Aster, Blake?” Mr. Jackson continued on, oblivious to Richard’s inner irritation.

 

“Ready to get this shit show on the road?” Gavin spoke quiet enough so that he didn’t disrupt the group, but it wasn’t quite a whisper. At least he was being civil.

 

“I don’t think you should be cussing in school… but yeah, let’s go. My first class is Band.” 

 

“Of course it is. Follow me.” Gavin wove his way out of their group before setting a leisurely pace down the hall. His voice had deepened since he’d seen him last. Coincidentally, it had been when he came with Hank to Connor’s orientation last year. Connor had gotten assigned to his friend Simon, who was in Gavin’s grade. Richard had to stay with his dad then, since he was still in Middle school at the time, and listen to the teachers give boring speeches about classroom excellence. Richard had still seen Gavin across the room, flirting with a pretty brunette girl.

 

“Is there a reason you’re walking so slow?” Richard raised an eyebrow at the other boy. He stopped walking entirely and turned to look at Richard with an irritated expression. Under the hallway’s still too-bright lighting, he noticed the way Gavin’s shirt seemed just a little too tight. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Gavin’s family was lower-class, or if they just valued hand-me-downs. It was clear that the clothes Gavin wore weren’t bought for him, considering that they were always either too big or too small.

 

“I don’t like you, and you don’t like me.” Gavin said flatly, deadpan. “But it’s a requirement for soccer that I come to this damn thing. So why don’t you just cooperate, huh?”

 

“... I... just wanted to know why you were walking so slow.” Richard frowned. What was this guy’s problem? 

 

“Not all of us have been gifted with long legs like you.” Gavin mumbled after a second, his eyes watching Richard. After what felt like an eternal staring contest, Gavin finally turned and resumed the tour, this time, at a much brisker pace. Richard felt an embarrassed blush creep up the back of his neck. His dad had called his height a ‘gift of puberty’, but it made Richard feel more insecure than he’d like to admit. It was hard to blend into a crowd when you towered above them. Richard was thankful that Gavin didn’t try to make any more conversation than the bare minimum as they finished up the tour. Between the way Gavin kept staring and his own embarrassment, Richard was already beyond uncomfortable. He was starting to notice things about other people, and right now, he couldn’t stop noticing little things about Gavin.

 

One thing was for sure: he needed to stay away from Gavin Reed.

  
  


**Richard: Ninth Grade**

**Connor: Tenth Grade / Sophomore**

**Gavin: Eleventh Grade / Junior**

 

Richard hadn’t really thought himself to be a sporty kid as he grew up. Sure, he liked the thrill of competition, but team sports had never really been his thing. That is, until this year. The school had been holding basketball tryouts. Richard was by no means unathletic, he liked to think that he lived a very healthy life. Not to mention he had only gotten taller in the past year. So, when his dad suggested he give it a chance, he figured: why not?

 

_ Gavin Fucking Reed _ His brain supplied,  _ That’s why not _ .

 

Sure, Gavin had toned down over the past year. Richard heard fewer and fewer stories from Connor involving him.

 

Tryouts, much to Richard’s shock, had gone amazingly well. Sure, he wasn’t great at shooting the ball, but he  _ excelled _ at defense. Not a single shot had been scored the entire time that he had played center. Admittedly, that didn’t mean much, since it was a scrimmage game filled with a bunch of other people who hadn’t made the team before. That didn’t matter though, because Richard was pretty impressed by himself. It had been a month since that day, and Richard not only made the roster, but he had made the  _ varsity  _ team. He wasn’t a starter, but he hadn’t really expected to be. He hadn’t even expected to make the team, in all honesty. He was proud of himself.

 

However, he wasn’t proud of the way he was unabashedly staring at Gavin’s bare chest from across the gymnasium.

 

Currently, they were in the middle of the first practice of the year. They had already finished warm-ups and now they were working on developing plays. He didn’t really understand all of the jargon yet, but Richard at least knew that a “play” was essentially a plan. The one they were currently working on involved a lot of running from certain positions. Gavin Reed just  _ happened _ to be in one of those positions. Thank god Richard was only a bench warmer for now, because he was fairly sure he wasn’t capable of focusing on anything other than the sight before him. Ever since seventh grade, Richard has been pretty sure he was interested in guys, at least a little bit. He tried not to put too much thought into it, but now he couldn’t help it. He was 100% sure he liked guys.

 

“Anderson.” A voice snapped him out of his daze. He looked up to find the very person he had been thinking about, Gavin, was talking to him. Most of the other players were either heading towards the locker rooms or starting to leave. “What the hell are you doing?”

 

Richard struggled to keep his face neutral. “What do you mean?”

 

“Coach said practice was over like five minutes ago. You’ve just been staring off in space, it’s fucking weird.” Gavin explained as he picked up his shirt that was laying on top of his gym bag, a few seats over. Richard swallowed as he saw Gavin pull the shirt over his head, his muscles tense and flexing as he put it on. His gaze must’ve lingered a moment longer than he thought, because Gavin had a weird expression on his face as he looked at him. 

 

“I was… I was thinking.” Richard replied hastily, standing up maybe a little too fast. He picked his backpack up off of the floor beside him as quickly as possible. He didn’t see the point in buying an expensive gym bag instead of another, much cheaper, backpack. All he carried was a water bottle and extra set of clothes to practice, so he didn’t really need that much space anyway. Straightening, he realised he was just a bit too close to the boy for it to be normal. Flustered, he tried to take a half-step back, forgetting the chair that  _ he had just sat in _ .

 

Instead of falling, Richard found his balance righted by Gavin’s steady hands on either of shoulders. They were even closer now, and he was pretty sure that his face was red for more than one reason.

 

“Are you okay, man?” Gavin frowned at him, his eyes suddenly searching. 

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Richard brushed away the other’s help, stepping around him this time. Gavin watched him for a moment, clearly unconvinced.

 

“Go see the nurse tomorrow or something.” Gavin finally seemed to let it go as he picked up his bag and turned towards the door, calling back at him as left  “The last thing we need is et sick.”to have the gym smelling like your fucking vomit.”

 

“Yeah, Thanks.” Richard mumbled, pushing past Gavin. Normally, he was practically the king of self-control. It was to the point that even his ever-serious brother said he needed to loosen up. If Connor saw Richard right now, with his lost composure, he'd be laughing.

 

He'd definitely have to avoid Gavin until he could get his hormones under control again, this was ridiculous.

  
  
  


**Richard: Nineth Grade / Freshman**

**Connor: Tenth Grade / Sophomore**

**Gavin: Eleventh Grade / Junior**

 

“I don’t think it's a good idea,” Richard began. “What if someone gets hurt?”

 

Currently, he was standing outside the school’s front doors. He was dressed in his normal, everyday clothes which today consisted of a plain, black sweater and soft, gray sweatpants. A frown was set on his face and his arms were crossed as he gazed at his teammates standing next to him. It had been a few months since they started practicing, and they had just gotten out of practice so it was around 5 in the evening. The cold, October wind whipped around them as they spoke.

 

“ _ ‘What if someone gets hurt?’”  _ One of his teammates, named Trevor, repeated the words in a high pitched voice. Richard didn’t know him well, but he was pretty sure he was a junior; the same age as Gavin. “God, Rick. You sound like a pussy.”

 

“No one is gonna get hurt, Anderson.” Gavin, who was standing next to him, sounded frustrated, as if the mere insinuation had offended him. Richard hadn’t really spoken with him much since the first practice, with the exception of one day. Richard hadn’t really been giving it his all that day, and Gavin had been relentless in bitching at him for it. He had to give the guy credit, he worked hard and he expected that same level of commitment from everyone on the team. “It’s just a scrimmage game in the park.”

 

“A scrimmage game in the park,  _ at eleven p.m _ .” Richard’s expression turned neutral as he attempted to reason with them. “The outdoor lights barely work and the asphalt that the court’s on is practically falling apart. People get hurt all the time.”

 

“Who do you know that got hurt there, huh?” Trevor spoke up again. Belatedly, Richard realised that both Trevor and the player standing next to him, John, were both changed out of their uniforms while Gavin was still dressed in his jersey and shorts from the practice.

 

“I live next to the park, dumbass.” Richard’s patience was quickly running out. He had already said no and their badgering was getting borderline annoying. “I see people getting hurt there all the time.”

 

“Whatever, we’ll just have uneven team numbers, it’s not a big deal.” John shrugged from his place next to Trevor. “We’ll see you at the next practice, Rick.”

 

Richard gave a little wave as Trevor mumbled a goodbye. The duo turned around and walked towards a beat-up, black car that was parked close to the building’s entrance. Richard wasn't that surprised that they carpooled to school, he had heard that John got into a pretty bad car accident a few weeks ago. He didn’t receive any major injuries, but his car had been totalled.

 

Gavi started to say something, probably rude, when  _ Thunderstruck _ by AC/DC began playing loudly. Richard raised an unimpressed eyebrow as he watched Gavin fumble to pull his phone out of his pocket. “Later, Anderson. I gotta take this.” And with that, he hastily pressed the  **answer** button on his phone and walked off to the side.

 

Richard sighed and sat down on the nearest bench, keeping his arms crossed not because he was mad, but rather because he was cold. Their dad had only bought one care for both Connor and Richard to share. It had been a great solution at the time, but now that he played a sport, he and Connor didn’t exactly have the same schedule. Thusly, he found himself waiting for their white Impala to drive up. He glanced over at Gavin, he probably thought Richard couldn’t hear him from that distance, but he was wrong.

 

“Hey Mom.”  _ Pause _ . “Yeah, it just ended.”  _ Pause _ . “Five minutes? Yeah, I’m outside already.”  _ Pause _ . “I made eighteen of the twenty shots I took.” When Gavin spoke again, his voice was laced with an emotion that Richard couldn’t name. “Right… I’ll do better next time. Uh… Speaking of which, me and some of the guys are going to play basketball in the park at 11 tonight.”  _ Pause _ . “I know. See you in a few.”

 

Richard didn’t look over at Gavin once the other boy was off the phone, and watched his breath as it clouded in the winter air. If Gavin was too prideful to sit down on the bench next to him, that was Gavin’s problem, not his. He could honestly care less about the boy; he was far from a friend after all. Though, a part of Richard’s min did wonder if the boy was cold, sitting outside in the chilly air in nothing but a sleeveless jersey and shorts.

 

A car pulled up alongside the sidewalk, distracting him from his  worrying thoughts. If he hadn’t recognised the car, he still would’ve known who it was just because of the way it was parked: perfectly symmetrical and lined up to the curb. Obviously, it was Connor driving. Richard stood up, hiking his bag a bit farther up his shoulder, before making his way over to the car. Opening the backseat door, he sat his backpack down securely in the seat before closing the door and getting in the front, passenger seat instead. As he started to put his seatbelt on, he noticed that there wasn’t any heat coming out of the vents.

 

“Why isn’t there any heat on?” He looked over at his brother questioningly, who just shrugged.

 

“It broke.” He said plainly. “Is that Reed over there?”

 

Richard looked to where Gavin was standing and his mind played the conversation he had overheard in his head. “Yeah, his ride is on the way. Can we get going?”

 

Connor rolled his eyes at his brother’s impatience, but moved the car into drive and slowly meandered out of the parking lot. Almost immediately, he turned on the radio, and their dad’s rock music came blaring out. Richard didn’t like music as much as his brother did, but he could appreciate the way it filled the silence. It gave him room to think without making with other person feel obligated to speak.

 

In this moment to think, his thoughts returned to Gavin. He had been on the phone with his mom, but he had sounded… unhappy. Of course, the majority of the time that the other spoke, his tone was biting or rude. Richard had just expected him to be different with his family. To be fair, he was different, but not in a good way. He sounded so ashamed and meek, two words that Richard would never have attached the hostile male. He had mentioned his performance from practice, as well the fact that he would ‘do better’ in the future. Almost immediately, Richard came to a conclusion: he was trying to please his parents, or at least his mom. Richard turned down the radio’s volume so that it was playing quietly in the background

 

“Hey Connor, do you know anything about Gavin’s parents?” Richard’s voice was tinted with curiosity.

 

“His parents?” Connor thought for a moment. “His dad died when we were in middle school. Murdered by his neighbor. It was all over the school… Why?”

 

Richard shrugged lamely. “Just wondering. Do you know anything about his mom?”

 

“Very little. She’s some kind of business woman, I think. She’s the reason Gavin cleaned up his act. She always made a big fuss of yelling at him when she got called down to the school.”

 

“I see.” Richard leaned back in his seat and stared out the window.

 

“Ricky,” Connor began. “You know to stay away from him, right? I’m not trying to tell you what to do. It’s just that he’s bad news, he always has been.”

 

“I know.”

  
  
  


**Richard: Twelfth Grade / Senior**

**Connor: University Freshman**

**Gavin: University Sophomore**

 

The commons was crowded with people as parents and families met with their kids who were no longer seniors, but rather young adults, newly released from the cold, steely grips of high school. The students, donned in black gowns with gold trim, were just now exiting the auditorium, where the graduation commencement had taken place. The students had to wait until everyone else had left before they could to avoid crowding. Richard, being the 6’ 5’ giant he was, he would be easily spotted by his brother and dad.

 

“Richard!” His brother’s voice called out to him. Turning around, he saw his brother pushing through the crowd, moving towards him with a bright smile on his face. He was dressed formally in a black, 2-piece suit. Flanking him was their father, Hank, dressed in his usual work attire. Connor pulled him into a fierce hug once he reached him. “I’m so proud of you, Ricky.”

 

“Did you not expect me to graduate?” Richard’s expression was flat, but they both knew he was joking. “I’m hurt.”

 

“I’m surprised you didn’t do it a year earlier.” Connor pulled back from the hug and grinned at him. Hank’s hand on his shoulder made him look over at his dad.

 

“I’m proud of you too, son. And don’t you forget it.” Their dad wasn’t always forthcoming with his feelings, so it meant something extra to Richard to hear him say it.

 

“I won’t, dad.” He gave his dad a small smile. “Thank you.”

 

“Shit,” Hank laughed, removing his hand. “Don’t thank me. All I did was raise you.”

 

Richard wasn’t sure if that was sarcasm or not, so he just chuckled along with him.

 

“Hey, look who’s coming over here,” Connor jerked his head in the direction of a figure approaching them through the crowd of people. Richard was shocked, not only to see the man there, but dressed the way he was. It was Gavin Reed, striding towards them with purpose. He was wearing a blue police officer’s uniform, his hair was trimmed, but the hint of stubble on his jaw suggested that he hadn’t had enough time to shave.

 

“Anderson,” Gavin appraised his appearance for a second. It reminded Richard of the way two boxers might look at each other before a match. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Richard tipped his head. “A congratulations might be in order for you, too. You’re a cop now?”

 

“Part-time, but yeah.” Gavin shrugged. “I’m a beat-up cop for now, but once I get my degree, the precint said they’d promote me to a detective.”

 

Hank, on his part, looked skeptical. “Straight to a detective, huh? You sure about that?”

 

Gavin glared at the older man defensively. “I’m  _ very _ sure, you fucking prick. I’m working to hard earn my position and I don’t need some old asshole telling me I have it fucking easy, you hear me?”

 

“Now listen here, you snot-nosed bastard-” Hank’s response was cut off by Connor worriedly placing his hand on his father’s chest.

 

“Let’s head outside, yeah?” Connor said placatingly. “We can get the car started for when Ricky’s read to leave.”

 

Hank glared at Gavin, but followed his elder son out of the building anyway. Even he didn’t want to make a scene at his son’s commencement.

 

“Not to be rude, but why’re you here?” Richard turned his attention back to the fuming an next to him.

 

“Oh,, I’m on duty.” Gavin answered, seemingly calming slightly. “Wanted there to be someone on site in case something happened. You never know with large crowds like this.”

 

“How long have you been working with the police?” Richard asked conversationally. He might as well give his dad time to calm down, why not talk to Gavin while he waits.

 

“Probably about a year, they recruited me through my college. They were looking for detectives with a degree in Criminal Justice.” Richard nodded along to Gavin’s words. He hadn’t realised that someone could go straight from college to a detective rank. He knew his brother was going through university and a certification program to become a hostage negotiator, but he hadn’t realised the same thing could be done for other positions. It was something to think about, maybe he would go into Criminal Justice instead of Pre-law… They were equally interesting. He had already got accepted into Pre-law at the University in Ann Arbor, he was sure they let him transfer into Criminal justice. He pushed the thoughts away for now, he would have to think about them later.

 

“Listen, Officer Reed,” He would approach this topic as politely as he could so the other man knew he wasn’t trying to be belligerent. “I respect you. I think you’re an ambitious, hard-working, and determined man, if a bit offensive and crass at a times. Picking fights isn’t going to help you, though.”

 

“I wasn’t-”

 

“I think you could be a great detective, even a lieutenant someday, but if you don’t get your anger in check now, you’ll never advance.” Richard watched Gavin’s face and the myriad of emotions dancing across it. For a second, he worried he had offended him, and began planning quick excuses to leave when:

 

“Thanks, Rich.”

 

“No problem, Gavin.” Richard paused, his small smile returning for a moment. “Good luck out there. I know you’ll suceed.”

 

“You too… Hey, if you do decide to go into law enforcement, Ann Arbor is a good school. Hit me up sometime if you’re ever in town.”

 

Richard realised something in that moment: He wasn’t going to be able to stay from Gavin Reed anymore.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! My Markus/Connor fics are set in the same universe, so you are welcome to read those as well if you'd like :D


End file.
